Conventional Telephone Systems identify and address users with decimal numbers geographically mapped on the E164 dial plan. As such the archetypal telephone equipment and interface presents a numeric dial pad. Next Generation Networks, exemplified by Voice Over Internet Protocols (VOIP) register and identify its end users “by name rather than number”.
Conventional Telephones typically cannot dial the user address of an Internet Client using known methods. While Internet users can easily enter phone numbers and thus readily address conventional telephones, the caveat in calling “offnet” to Fixed and Mobile telephones, is that calling “off net” often incurs a terminating penalty. That is, carriers on the ground charge to terminate voice and data traffic onto their networks.
This carrier interoperating business rule forces VOIP service providers to charge its users for calling “off net”, and the reason the overwhelming majority of VOIP calls remain on net. However while “free speech” is the mass VOIP consumer proposition and draw card, calling “on net” keeps communication “up in the cloud” and consequently fails to generate the revenue required to commercialize service.